Barbed metallic fencing



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 1. f B. F. RANDALL.

BARBBD METALLIC PENGING. No. 359,178. Patented Mar. 8, 1887.

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B. F. RANDALL. BARBED METALLIC PENGING.

No. 359,178. PatentedMar. 8, 1887.A

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. 1

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. RANDALL, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BARBED METALLIC FENCING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,178, dated March 8, 1887.

Application filed December 24,1886. Serial No. 222,480. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Bel it known that I, BENJAMIN F. RANDALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Metallic Fencing, of which the following is a specication.

This invention has for its objects to provide a novel construction of metallic fencing which will turn stock without lacerating or tearing the animals, and which is durable, economical in construction, readily and easily constructed, comparatively rustless, capable of resisting fire, and which will permit the convenient and rapid removal and replacement of a section when desired to admit of the passage of persons, Vehicles, or stock.

To accomplish such objects my invention consists in a rolled metallic rail provided with a cross or Tshaped head at each end and formed integral with stiff pointed spurs throughout its length between such heads and projecting radially or laterally in opposite directions, the rail-heads and spurs being galvanized to render the same comparatively rustless and more durable, and the heads being adapted to detachably engage slots in iianges on metallic fence-posts, which are likewise galvanized.

The invention also consists in a metal fence comprising metal fenceposts provided with flanges having` slots and rolled metal rails having cross or T-shaped heads at their ends and formed integral with stiff pointed spurs throughout their length between the heads and projecting radially or laterally in various directions, the said heads of the rails detachably interlocking with or engaging the slotted flanges of the posts, whereby they are rmly secured in place, but can be rapidly and con veniently detached to remove any section between two posts for the passage of persons, vehicles, or stock.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which' Figure l is a perspective view of part of a fence constructed and erected according to my invention; Fig. 2, a detail view on a larger scale of one of the rolled metal rails; Fig. 3, a detail View on a larger scale of one of the metal fence-posts, and Fig. 4 a cross-sectional view of the rail.

pointed spurs 3 throughout its length between such heads and projecting radially or laterally in various directions, the object of these spurs 'being to turn stock without danger of lacerat- For this purpose ing or tearing the animals. the spurs are stiff and pointed, but are not sharp like the ordinary wire barbs on fencestrands of Wire, as such are exceedingly dangerous and very injurious to stock. The rails having the characteristics described are rolled from malleable iron or other material, and the heads 2 and spurs 3 are formed integral with the body of the rail, so that the latter can be economically manufactured on a large scale.

Therails are all made of one standard length, each about sixteen or seventeen feet long, more or less, and I purpose having the machinery for manufacturing the rails so constructed that a complete rail will be turned out at every revolution of the rolls. The rails, having been made as set forth, are galvanized by any suitable process, as by subjecting them to the action of a bath of melted zinc and sal-ammoniac, so that the surfaces of the rails, spurs, and heads become alloyed with zinc. I have shown the rails as circular in cross-section between their cross or T-shaped heads; but they can be rolled into any form in cross-section.

The fence-posts 6 are composed ofa sheet of galvanized iron folded to form radial flanges, one flange, 5, having inclined slots 4 extending from the outer edge of such flange inward to the other danges. The upper edge of each slot is furnished with a ilexible lip, 7, terminating at a short distance from the point where the fla-nge 5 joins the other flanges to create a square or substantially square recess, S. The ends of the rails adjacent to the cross or T- shaped ends 2 are squared and iattened, as at 9, and in erecting the fence the adjacent ends of two rails are inserted in one of the Vslots 4, to fill the recess S, after which the lip 7 is bent down to iill the outer portion of the slot, thereby retaining the rails in place and hold- IOC ing them against outward movement in the slot. In this way the cross-heads at the adjacent ends of two rails will bear, respectively, against the opposite sides of the ange 5of the fence-post.

The interlocking of the rail-heads with the anges of the fence-posts prevents the latter from moving out of their perpendicular positions, and the whole constitutes a strong, durable, and economical metallic fence of the barbed kind, which will turn stock without lacerating or tearing` the animals.

I do not broadly claim a rolled metal fence wire or rod formed integral with projecting spurs or barbs; nor do I broadly claim fencerails having heads at their ends to interlock with fence-posts, as such, broadly, are not new with me.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The rolled metal fence-rails of standard length, each formed integral with a T-shaped head at each end and with stiff pointed spurs projecting laterally in various directions throughout the length of the rail between the said heads, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination of fenceposts, each provided with a radial ange having slots extending from its edge inwardly, with the rolled Y metal fence-rails of standard length, each formed integral with a T-shaped head at each end, and with stiff pointed spurs projecting laterally in various directions throughout the length of the rail, the said rails being arranged in the slots of the flange, with the adjacent T- shaped heads of every two rails in line in two fence-sections bearing directly against the opposite sides of the one slotted ange of a post, and all the rails being removable laterally through the slots of the posts, substantially as and for the purposes described.

8. The combination of the rolled metallic fence-rails,having stiff projecting spurs 3 along their length and provided at each end with the cross-head 2, with the fence-posts, each having the radial iange 5, provided with the slot 4, lip 7, and a recess at the inner end ofthe lip, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The combination of the rolled metallic fence-rails,having stiff projecting spurs 3 along their length and provided at each end with a cross-head, 2, and a flattened square portion, 9, adj acent to such cross-head, with the fence-post having the radial flange 5, provided with the slot 4, lip 7, and square recess 8 at the inner end of the lip, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. RANDALL.

Witnesses:

THos. TAYLOR, WV. M. COLEMAN. 

